ITC Topic Class: Police station bathrooms condemned as human rights violations | Asian Correspondent

Police station bathrooms condemned as human rights violations | Asian Correspondent

At the beginning of his month Ms. Kim, who is in her 30s, suffered a humiliating episode in the Seoul police station she had been called to for an investigation.

She stepped into the investigation room's bathroom but found herself completely exposed in a unisex bathroom with a large and completely transparent glass partition on the door.

Ms. Kim asked the officer in charge if she could use an exterior bathroom but the answer was that she could not go outside, and if she did not use the interior bathroom she would just have to hold it.

Controversy began on the the over "the investigated woman who opened the bathroom door."

The bathroom, which is mainly used by men or simply for handwashing, has no lock on its door and the large glass partition allows any tall person to easily see inside.

It is now being said that it is a human rights violation for most of the investigation room bathrooms in the station to be unisex and to have large glass partitions exposing their users.

On the 22nd Yonhap News visited 31 investigation room bathrooms in Seoul, fining that just six were not unisex..

Also, in twenty of the bathrooms there were no locks, glass partitions on the doors, and door heights were installed at waist-level, all showing a lack of regard for the existence of women.

They were set up so that the inside could be viewed from above on the other side, but that creates the danger of even exposure even to those not attempting to peep. Women who need to use the bathroom during an investigation have no choice but to bear the humiliation.

Ms. Kim said, "I spoke with the person responsible but it was no use. I felt angry and ashamed while using the bathroom."

The officers who use the bathrooms while on duty feel similarly.

One officer named Lee said, "when we are busy it is difficult to accompany a woman to an exterior bathroom. It's a difficult situation, they should put in women's bathrooms that can be used anywhere."

A member of the SARANGBANG Group for Human Rights (인권운동사랑방) said, "the problem would melt away by simiply having female officers accompany the women to an external bathroom, so think about it only from the point of view of the convenience of the investigators is the cause of the issue. There need to be clear standards for human rights during investigations."

Vocabulary:
Humiliating
Episode
Investigation
Transparent
Hold it
Violation
Investigation

Discussion questions

This article talks about human rights. Do you think arrestees have human rights? If so what rights?
Do you this case should be called a human rights case, or something else?
Do you ever experience this issue in a normal bathroom?
What bothers you most about public bathrooms?
What are some of the things you appreciate most about a nice public bathroom?

ATC Class North Korean defectors face discrimination in South Korea | Asian Correspondent

North Korean defectors face discrimination in South Korea | Asian Correspondent

"These days I can't get a job at all. When I say I'm from North Korea it becomes the economy or something else..."

34-year-old Kim Yeong-woon (a pseudonym), who graduated from a music college in North Korea and worked as as a singer before fleeing North Korea in 2001 and arriving in South Korea in July of 2004, said that in an interview on April 22 with theDong-A Ilbo. She has not been able to find work in a long time, having previously been a freelance actress in musicals. Kim said, "I formed a performance group with other North Korean refugees and put on shows in the provinces, but there has been one cancellation after another... Time after time it seemed like North Korean performances made people uncomfortable."

With the sinking of the Cheonan said to be likely the result of a North Korean act, and the case of two North Korean spies being uncovered, North Korean refugees are facing deepening anxiety. An increasing number of them are losing their jobs or feeling personally threatened as society shuns them. With two large problems likely caused by North Korea, they are being watched with critical eyes and are finding it difficult to settle in and live their lives.

50-year-old Kim Sae-yong, a member of the 새터민평양민족예술단, has more wrinkles around his eyes. Seven of his last nine scheduled performances were cancelled. Kim said, "a lot of our performances have been cancelled over the Cheonan sinking, and other groups say they're having similar problems... that incident and the spy issue make people uneasy about watching North Korean performances."

...


43-year-old North Korean refugee Song Sun-yeong (a pseudonym), who works in a Mapo-gu restaurant, has been keeping her head down lately. Whenever a customer is watching news of the Cheonan sinking they say "this must be North Korea's doing." Ms. Song said, "I feel like I should be apologizing, that it's our fault, and I hang my head." Her co-workers do the same, not saying what they really think. Ms. Song also never walks home at night by herself. Among North Korean refugees it is often said, "there could be people watching for North Korean refugees, so don't walk alone at night." She said, "even though I'm used to the area I'm afraid to walk by myself, so my husband comes to walk with me every night."

With ties between North and South Korea increasingly strained, an increasing number of North Korean refugees are worrying that their family members left behind in North Korea could now be spies. A member of The Daily NK said, "there are children who worry that their families will be threatened and spies sent for them... many, many refugees these days are trying to confirm that their family members are still alive."

30-year-old Lee Yeong-hwan, head of research at the Citizens' Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (북한인권시민연합), said, "there are 20,000 North Korean refugees in South Korea, and most of them are in safe situations and are apparently not worried... it's easy to feel worried when you have a lot of family members left behind in North Korea and such a short time to get used to the new country."


Vocabulary: 
pseudonym
freelance
refugee
shun
watch with critical eyes
keep one's head down
hang one's head 


Discussion Questions:


Do you know anyone who is a North Korean refugee?
What do you think are some of the difficulties of being a refugee?
Is it easy to gain refugee status in Korea?
Do you think some people abuse this chance to be a refugee simply to take advantage of Korea?
This article also talks about shame, and fear. What are some common things people are ashamed of? Why? 
How do many people deal with shame?

ITC and ATCers, Check this out...

Hello ATCers, and ITCers. Check out the new poll at the right-hand side of the page. I want to know what my students think, and maybe it will give us something to talk about during class.

I'm not the only one...

There was this and one other cyclist on the road near City Hall station yesterday.

ATC Class Note

Last night I referred to a buisness theory that states people are promoted till they are no longer within their realm of expertise. This theory is called the "Peter Principle".

"In a Hierarchy Every Employee Tends to Rise to His Level of Incompetence."


See the wikipedia article here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Principle

Finished

It was my first MG Gundam so I made some mistakes, but I learned a lot. This is so addictive!

ITC Topic: [Letters] Too much respect on trains?

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2920732 May 21, 2010

My parents live in Gumi, Korea and my parents-in-law live in Meschede, Germany. There are lots of opportunities to take trains when visiting my in-laws. Whenever I take trains in Korea, I feel uncomfortable around the attendants. They stand at the front of the train before departure. All of them wear uniforms like those in other countries, except that the female attendants in Korea wear skirts and have the same hairstyle. Passengers recognize them immediately and can ask them for directions to their train, car and seat. In Korea, male and female attendants bow very politely to passengers walking to their trains. After boarding they bow again, this time to the passengers when they are seated, and again when they are leaving the train. I don’t know how to respond to their bows. Should I reward them with a bow in return, standing up and bending my torso? Should I react to each bow? Once aboard, I want to sleep or concentrate on my reading. Against their best intentions, they make me uncomfortable. Feeling awkward, many passengers pretend to ignore their bows by looking out the window or keeping their eyes on their mobiles. Additionally when I have a question, like “Is this the 10:30 train for Gwangju?” I need to wait for them to finish bowing. After boarding, no passenger even looks at them any more. They don’t need to bow to passengers who are sleeping, playing with their mobiles, talking with friends, or reading books. Being treated with too much respect, passengers may even feel entitled to neglect anyone who goes out of his way to be polite or friendly. What they should be doing is to look after their passengers, recognize whether anyone is lost or feels sick, and try to answer questions immediately. There is a difference between excessive politeness and real kindness and comfort. Aryong Choi-Hantke,

ATC Topic Class: Better education through mentors

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2915552 January 21, 2010

Not all teachers of primary, middle and high schools dream of becoming a principal or a vice principal. There are teachers who want to devote themselves to teaching students until their retirement. Lee Won-chun, a teacher at Hwagwang Middle School in Namyangju, Gyeonggi, is one like that. Lee, who has been teaching for 30 years, strives to become “a teacher who is good at teaching.” He believes that the sole duty of teachers is to devote themselves to the development of creative teaching skills. He does not hesitate to play the role of a “teaching missionary” who spreads his knowledge about teaching to other instructors inside and outside his school. Between improving the teaching skills of himself and others, Lee did not have time to strategize ways to climb the education hierarchy. “The only thing worthwhile is mentoring other teachers and convincing them to improve their methods,” he said. Hwang Hyo-sun, who teaches at Mapo Primary School, has also taken the same path. She would rather teach students than have to spend a lot of time on administrative and management  as a principal or vice principal. She also finds pleasure in introducing her 33 years of teaching expertise to new teachers and teachers at neighboring schools. Teachers like Lee and Hwang are called “head teachers,” a title given to them by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. These teachers were selected for their excellent performance as teachers and as mentors for other teachers. This system was introduced two years ago, but it is still considered to be in its test phase. Meanwhile, other countries are using a system like the “head teacher” one in all of their schools. The position in Britain of “advanced skills teacher” is the most similar to Korea’s program. The role of advanced skills teachers is spreading their teaching methods to other teachers. They devote themselves to teaching instead of getting promoted to administrative posts. In the United States, head teachers are called variously “master teachers,” “mentor teachers” and “support providers,” according to the region. Their duties are more or less the same: spreading excellent teaching methods and providing mentorship to new teachers. In Japan, they have the “principal teacher” system. The “principal teacher” plays the role of a mediator between principals and vice principals and regular teachers. They give advice to regular teachers and nurture teachers so that they, too, may become great instructors. In China, there are “super class teachers.” As experts in teaching and learning, they are the role models of other teachers. The Education Ministry is going to expand the trial of the head teacher system by selecting 333 new head teachers this year. However, the bill related to the introduction of the head teacher system is being held up in the National Assembly’s Education and Science Committee. I think it is of no use to expand the trial system without legal support for the improved status and role of head teachers. The government should work to increase the number of teachers who want to teach and not just be promoted to principals. Only when we have more teachers like these will the public education system of the country be able to stand upright. *The writer is an editorial writer of the JoongAng Ilbo. By Kim Nam-joong

Thanks

Thanks for great classes tonight everyone! See you Thursday, AND hopefully Friday after class! 9:30PM downstairs in the 전 restaurant.

ITC Topic Class: Food Labels

http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100514000856



A state food safety agency is seeking to label more than 70 percent of chocolate and hamburger products with a “red traffic light” marker to indicate that they are unhealthy, officials said yesterday.



The Korea Food and Drug Administration revealed a draft plan for its system, under which depending on the amount of unhealthy ingredients in food products, three labels -- colored red, yellow or green -- will be attached to the packaging of food items.



The plan, which the KFDA seeks to begin implementing at the beginning of next year, was presented at an academic seminar held at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province.



“By clearly showing to the children what nutrients the foods they eat contain, the system will help them better manage their eating patterns. It will be used for nutrition education,” Park Hye-kyung, director of the nutrition policy division at the KFDA, told The Korea Herald.



The proposed system has drawn the ire of local food companies. But, a KFDA official said under a special law on “the safe management of children’s dietary life,” which was enacted last year, it is not mandatory for companies to attach the labels.



“It is the minimal standards that we ‘recommend.’ We will see whether it is an effective measure or not. We will, then, decide whether to make it mandatory or further expand it. We have tried to solicit opinions from companies,” Park said.



Called the “traffic light label system,” the plan focuses mainly on the amounts of fat, saturated fat, sugars and sodium contained in certain products.



According to the plan, a red traffic light label is to be attached to a snack if one serving contains more than 9 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat or 17 grams of sugar.


If a meal contains more than 12 grams of fat, 4 grams of saturated fat or 600 miligrams of sodium per serving, it will also get a red label.


The KFDA found based on its simulation tests that at least 74 percent of chocolate products, 58 percent of ice cream products and 42 percent of bread would be labeled with a red traffic light under the new plan.


It also found that some 76 percent of hamburgers and sandwiches would receive red light labels.

ATC Topic Class: Gambler Wins and Gives It Away

KAIST, Korea’s leading research university, often makes news with donations from a variety of benefactors who wish to help develop science and technology in Korea with money they earned through their careers. The list of donors, which includes farmers, securities dealers, medical doctors, foreign businesspeople and popular entertainers, now has one unusual entry, a gambler.




Ahn Seung-pil, 60, may not be exactly a “gambler” – at least not a professional one. He has visited Kangwon Land, a casino located in the mountain region of Jeongseon, Gangwon Province, only a few times since it opened in 2000 as the only place Korean nationals could gamble. Ahn, who runs a small textile business in Seoul, hit the jackpot of 766 million won (about $665,000), the largest amount ever at Kangwon Land or from any slot machine at a Korean casino.



He said he was motivated to donate the money to KAIST in Daejeon City when he watched a television program after returning home, in which a professor emphasized the importance of advancing science and technology in the country. He had incurred heavy debts during the 1997 economic crisis and has yet to clear them all, but he thought of using the prize money for a good cause. The TV program guided him to KAIST, said Ahn, who has “not had a high level of education.”



Korea is known worldwide for its people’s strong zeal for university education. Parents do whatever they can to send their children to good universities but are so exhausted before the entrance that they barely pay the tuition once they get there. Universities have to rely mainly on tuition and meager subsidies from foundations or the state treasury. Private donations are rare, compared to European or American universities.



Major universities complain that members of the alumni societies are rather indifferent to calls for donation. The majority of donors who give significant amounts are people who weren’t lucky enough to go to university, such as Ahn Seung-pil.


http://www.koreaherald.com/opinion/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20100518000648

ITC Topic: Sorry it's late!

Sorry folks! I forgot to post the ITC topic last night! If you're checking you mgiht see it before class... I hope!


Here's the link: Most Workers Find Drinking More Tiring Than Overtime

ATC Topic:Promoting luxury brands in new ways

http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2908535



In the past, you could occasionally spot someone on the street wearing a T-shirt or baseball cap emblazoned with the name of a luxury automobile manufacturer like Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari.

In the past, you could occasionally spot someone on the street wearing a T-shirt or baseball cap emblazoned with the name of a luxury automobile manufacturer like Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari.


Today, you’re just as likely to see these auto brands on everything from fancy pens and bicycles to laptops and even children’s toys.


Teddy bear collection by Volkswagon

Automobile companies have long attempted to increase their brand awareness by slapping their names on products aside from vehicles. But now they’re taking it a step further, moving beyond the realm of watches and t-shirts.



Although these products can be quite pricey (think 40,000 won ($32.68) for a key chain ) limited-edition items often sell out immediately upon release.


Asus Lamborghini laptop [JoongAng Ilbo]

Along these lines, Mercedes-Benz Korea last week announced a new sale to celebrate Louis Hamilton’s victory at the F1 Grand Prix race in Hungary. The automaker, which sponsors the driver, is selling Hamilton-related products on its Mercedes-Benz Collection Web site, www.benz-collection.com, at a 10 percent discount through Aug. 20. The products, of course, carry the Mercedes-Benz logo. The automaker has been selling a wide range of high-end fashion products from umbrellas to jackets to bicycles that cost more than 2 million won.


Volkswagen Korea last week introduced a collection of teddy bears dressed in branded clothing such as racing uniforms. The limited-edition bears carry a price tag of between 30,000 won and 55,000 won.


The Italian sports car manufacturer Ferrari is well-known for its collaboration with the sports fashion house Puma, producing high-end shoes and clothing with the automaker’s famous red and yellow colors embedded on the products.


Some companies collaborate with engineering firms to developing goods that are a bit more practical.


Lamborghini not only has its own fashion lineup but since 2006 has partnered with a Taiwanese computer manufacturer to produce the Asus Lamborghini VX series machine. The laptop uses the same paint found on the cars and often sells out the moment it goes on sale. Siemens and Porsche over the years linked up to develop kitchen utensils ranging from toasters to coffee makers.


Korean automakers are slowly taking interest as well. Hyundai Motor, for instance, introduced a ridable children’s model car in May that runs on an electric battery that lasts for two to three hours.

ITC Drama Test Class

We're gonna try something dramatic! If that doesn't work out I'll have a back up plan. See you tomorrow!

ATC Topic Class: The Purpose of Prison?

I had a super busy weekend so I didn't get around to planning too much creative stuff, however I thought this topic was thought provoking.
Think about these questions:

Do you agree or disagree with this kind of program in prisons?
Why?
What is the purpose of prisons? Punishment or re-rehabilitation
Have you ever visited a Korean prison?
Have you ever visited a foreign prison?
Do you think prisoners are treated properly in your country?
What kind of mistreatment of prison mistreatments do you know about/are worried about?
What do you think are some good alternatives to prison?
Do you think that Korea's prison system is effective?


 From the Korea Herald:

　CHEONAN, South Chungcheong Province- A class of 25 sings along to a K-pop song by Ahn Chi-hwan, aided by a little ball that bounces from word to word on a big screen at the head of the class. The teacher motions her hand to her ear, inviting the convicts to sing louder. They enthusiastically oblige. Some clap their hands; everyone moves rhythmically in their chairs. 
　
　

If it weren’t for the prison-issued navy-blue jumpsuits, it would be hard to tell them apart from any other tourists in the country. The class is part of Cheonan Foreigner Prison’s “Good Morning Korea” program. The students are all foreign convicts at what the Ministry of Justice touts as the sole foreigner-only prison in the world. 


Leading the song today is professor Jung Yoon-ja.

“This program’s goal is to help foreign prisoners better understand Korea and adjust to living in Korea. We hope that foreign prisoners spread the good image of Korea when they get back to their country,” Jung said after the class. “We also hope that foreign prisoners will open their minds and have smiles on their faces while taking this program.”

Good Morning Korea is a big part of each weekday morning here. Run in collaboration with Dankuk University, instructors from the university come in to teach prisoners the Korean language and culture through song and stories.

Officials feel that communication is very important and focus on teaching to improve the prison’s environment. The main morning teaching point is “We are one family.”

Jung also said the prisoners are adapting well to the classes and seem to be enjoying them more now than they had been in the beginning. She feels it is effective to teach Korean language and culture using fairy tales, K-pop songs, and arts and crafts.

On Feb. 23 the Ministry of Justice held a tree planting ceremony for the opening of the Cheonan Foreigner Prison. Long pushed by the ministry as being the proper response to rising incidences of crime committed by foreigners in Korea, Minister of Justice Lee Kwi-nam gave the opening address.

“The Cheonan foreigner-only prison is opened to give foreign prisoners specialized treatment. In light of the fact that foreign prisoners have different languages, customs, cultures and religions, we will give them humanitarian treatment according to universal values,” said Lee.

A press release sent out by the ministry after the opening highlighted the rise in crime, pointing out that since 2006, foreign crime has risen by 250 percent in Korea, though the Korean Institute of Criminology reported in 2007 that the foreigner crime rate in Korea was 1.4 percent, compared with the 3.5 percent rate among Korean citizens.

The minister of justice’s sentiments were repeated, more or less, in point form by the director of the International Affairs Division, Ha Young-hoon, while on the tour of the prison. Adding to the list of reasons, however, was the rationalization that if prisoners from abroad are treated better in Korea, Korean prisoners in other countries may be treated better as well.

Stephen Colbert Sings in Korean

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
He's Singing in Korean
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Colbert Challenges Rain to Dance Off!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Time's Top 100
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

Rain vs. Stephen Colbert Dance Off!

The Colbert Report	Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Rain Dance-Off
www.colbertnation.com
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor Fox News

ITC Topic: Perfume

ATC Topic: Employee Tracking

The plant in my office.

Agape means universal transcendent love in Greek. My plant is growing very big, so I hope that I can show love and kindness in proportion to my plant.

ITC Topic: Body Piercing

This week, we'll be discussing body piercing. Think about these questions:

What kind of body piercings are typical in Korea?
Where do people usually/rarely get peircings?
Are people with piercings treated differently in Korea?

some delicious dim sum

some delicious dim sum

ITC Class

Tomorrow's class we'll be doing something a bit creative and fun, but I can't post it here or it would ruin the exercise. See you tomorrow.

ATC Topic Class

Tomorrow we will be doing the first SLE assigned topic so you should be able to preview it online.